There’s a lot of rappers in Denver, but there’s only a handful who can really shine on the microphone. Check out this video, “The Crown” from up-and-coming group Infinite Mindz with a verse from SP Double and O.N.E. singing the hook. Don’t sleep!!!

Lupe Fiasco Talking Retirement

He just released his debut album a year ago, and dropped his sophomore album, The Cool, this week but Lupe Fiasco is already talking retirement. In an interview with SOHH.com, the Chi-town emcee said that after his next album, he’s done.

"One more... LupEnd is what it's actually called," he told SOHH. “Im'a always perform until the day I die. It's just the industry of recorded music doesn't appeal to me. That dream of getting a record deal and all that is lost. I woke up from it. But in between time, in the meantime, you'll probably get a CRS album. But yeah, one more full length solo debut LP."

The CRS album he’s referring to is the super-project that’ll feature himself, Kanye West and Pharrell Williams. Oh yeah, hot ta def!

Veteran Actors Star As Legendary Rappers

The Juice Crew is the legendary hip-hop crew from the '80s that was started by producer Marley Marl and included rappers Big Daddy Kane, MC Shan, Masta Ace, Roxanne Shante, Kool G Rap, Craig G, Biz Markie, Tragedy Khadafi, Mr. Magic, TJ Swan, Fly Ty and Cool V. Word on the web is that there’s a movie being made about the crew called The Vapors and it will feature some well-known actors playing these roles. Actors who have already signed on include Cuba Gooding Jr. (Marley Marl), The Wire’s Idris Elba (Fly Ty), rapper David Banner (Biz Markie), son of Diana, Evan Ross (MC Shan), ATL’s Jackie Long (Bog Daddy Kane), Norbit’s Clifton Powell (Mr. Magic), and Akeelah and the Bee’s Keke Palmer (Roxanne Shante). The film is still casting for other parts, possibly including the role of KRS-One. Shooting begins in January.

DMX Plans A Comeback

It’s been a rough road for the X man the last couple of years. Most recently, they found a bunch of dead dogs at his Arizona residence and authorities have been trying to Michael Vick him since. Now the rapper has announced he’s back on the music side of things, has signed with BoDog Music and is planning to release his new album, Walk With Me Now, Fly With Me Later, soon.

"I'm thankful for the fact that Bodog believes in me, that we share the same vision and the fact that they see in me the same thing I see," DMX said in this statement. "I'll show you [Bodog Music] how it's supposed to be done, and we'll get to where we're supposed to be. You got a dog for life."

50 Cent Rocks Kosovo

50 Cent has been overseas for the last couple of months promoting Curtis doing shows on both European and Asian continents. The rapper recently made history by becoming the first international act to perform in the Serbian province of Kosovo. More than 25,000 fans came to the province’s capital Pristina, with all of the tickets selling out in just ten hours. Word is that scalpers were selling tickets to the show at ten times the value. The province is still struggling to get back on its from a massive civil war that ravaged the area in the late 1990s.

“They live in the same type of environment that on a smaller level, we are subjected to where I'm from,” 50 told Reuters. “I know exactly what happens when the guns come out. Maybe that's why they (identify) with me.”

NEW RELEASES

The Cool

Lupe Fiasco

Lupe is an absolute genius on the microphone that he’ll have you rewinding most of the songs on the album to catch what you missed the first time around. The Cool is probably the best written album of the year.

10 Years of Bling, Vol. 1

Various Artists, Cash Money Records

Yes, it’s already been 10 years since the term “bling bling” was coined. Now you can relive all that glory with this collection of songs from that era. And hopefully, you’ll stop saying bling, bling as well; rappers haven’t uttered the phrase in over five years.

Hate It or Love It

Chingy

Chingy used to be on down with Ludacris, then they had beef, then they made up and they’re down again. And that story is more interesting than Chingy’s new album.

Growing Pains

Mary J. Blige

What? You say Mary J. isn’t hip-hop? Take off the blinders. Mrs. Blige has been the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul for over 15 years and this new album is just another notch into her classic catalogue. Don’t you know she can do no wrong?

- Quibian Salazar-Moreno

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